Red Crystal

by Daniel Stiles

A novel of swords and sorcery, Red Crystal follows the journey of a man accidentally mistaken for Rex Draxius, the hero destined to save the land from the rule of a tyrant known as the High Leader. The fake Rex does not bother to correct the error for a simple he tires of loneliness, and the hero always gets the girl. Unfortunately, he quickly determines the hero always gets the girl because the hero saves the girl’s life. How can he save anyone, when fighting does not come naturally to him?

Lack of battle skills prevents him from accomplishing much for his quest. However, luck provides him with traveling a fat male fairy, a minotaur, an elf believing himself to be a dragon, a female warrior formerly of a mysterious order of monks, and another female warrior continuing to serve in that order. All believe him to be the hero he claims, so they dedicate themselves to serving him, even at the cost of their lives. Guilt increasing as he comes to understand the selfishness of his motivation compared to those aiding him, the fake Rex’s uncertainty soon outweighs his bravery. His quest becomes less about love, and more about squirrels. Unicorns can be spiteful when accidentally murdered.

260 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 18, 2016